25 Celebrities You Never Knew Had Addiction Issues (5 of 5)

Michael Jackson

Substances used: Propofol, alprazolam, prescription drugs, benzodiazepine, and sertraline

Jackson’s personal life was riddled with issues; all of which made news and were known and talked about by everyone. The legend was found dead in his home in 2009 due to acute intoxication caused by the consumption of benzodiazepine and propofol. Michael suffered from tiredness and insomnia and turned to drugs for quick relief.

It was not a brief period for which the pop icon did drugs. In fact, he had been taking them for the most part of his life. It was discovered through his death lawsuit that he had been a heavy addict for over 15 years before the ruinous habit took his life.

Bradley Cooper

Substances used: Alcohol and drugs (unknown)

Bradley Cooper is considered one of the most iconic actors of all time. However, what is not known to many is that he too has fought substance abuse in his past. His addiction was truly getting out of hand. He had once deliberately hit his head on the floor and would have suicidal thoughts.

When he turned 29, he started to see that he was ruining his health and his life and made up his mind to get past his addiction. He was resilient enough to never look back and stayed on the path of recovery. In 2013, he shared in an interview with GQ that had he continued his habit, he would have ended up sabotaging his life.

In the flick released in 2018 called A Star is Born, Bradley’s character was that of a singer dealing with severe addiction issues. The role was very much like Cooper’s own life a few years ago and he found the whole experience very “cathartic.”

Mac Miller

Substances used: Alcohol, fentanyl, codeine, marijuana, promethazine, and cocaine

After battling with addiction for years, the rapper and singer died in September 2018 as a result of an overdose. The talented artist was only 26 when his addiction got the better of him. As reported, he had mixed several drugs including fentanyl, cocaine, and the toxicity caused by consuming took his life.

Miller’s addiction was in the paparazzi’s headlines before his death as well. He had been once arrested for being drunk and driving. In an interview, he talked about his problem saying he was not happy and found relief from taking lean. Adding further, he said he’d be high all the time and his close ones could not look at him the same and that he felt lost and helpless.

Although Mac did recognize his problem and even tried to get rid of the habit, he would fail every time and eventually died in 2018.

Elton John

Substances used: Alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine

English singer and songwriter, Elton John was at the peak of his career when the use of drugs was a rave. As vividly depicted in the singer’s biopic, Rocketman, he was constantly abusing alcohol and even cocaine when his music was topping the Billboard’s charts. He would turn to them to get past his confidence issues.

However, the death of Ryan White, his close friend, and an activist for AIDS, proved to be a wake-up call for Elton. He made up his mind, sought help, and also started a foundation to raise awareness surrounding AIDS.

On completing his 29 years of staying sober, he shared in an Instagram post that he was broken 29 years ago. But, his courage to admit that he needed help changed his life forever. He also thanked all the people who aided and supported him to stay strong and sober.

Whitney Houston

Substances used: Alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs, and cocaine

A hit singer in the 1990s, Whitey’s passing away due to her addiction came as a huge shock to her fans. She was found dead in her bathtub after drowning due to the consumption of a heavy dose of cocaine. As reported, she had also had about 12 different kinds of prescription pills.

Whitney had dealt with addiction issues for the most part of her career. The same was also massively covered by the media. She openly admitted that she consumeв alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs and did even more of that when she was dating Bobby Brown. In a talk show with Oprah Winfrey, she divulged that when she was performing the best in her career, she was also losing herself. She wasn’t happy and would do drugs every day.

Although Houston did attempt to rectify her mistakes by enrolling herself at a rehabilitation center, it seems it had gotten a little too late by then.

A lesson we can learn from these celebrities is that having control over our desires is the biggest superpower. Once we acknowledge a problem, it is possible to reverse some of the damages, if not all, with timely help. That being said, there is no benefit to health from the consumption of drugs or any other intoxicating products. Therefore, their use must be avoided at all costs.